tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61401418168483030732024-02-23T20:03:00.945-06:00Greasy JointsSarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-23274661994532380802015-04-13T19:30:00.000-05:002015-04-13T19:30:56.122-05:00Eastern Iowa Baking Co.After several trips to the new bakery in town, I finally have the time to write out a delicious review!<br />
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<a href="http://payload315.cargocollective.com/1/15/509209/8601518/logo_o.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://payload315.cargocollective.com/1/15/509209/8601518/logo_o.png" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eastern-Iowa-Baking-Co/210992242296918" target="_blank"> Eastern Iowa Baking Co.</a> opened in February in the old floral shop building in downtown Eldridge (2nd & Franklin). The building was originally constructed as a doctor's office in 1857. <br />
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photo from <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eastern-Iowa-Baking-Co/210992242296918?fref=photo" target="_blank">their FB</a></div>
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The bakery is cute and tiny with a small dine-in area. The morning selection includes baked doughnuts, pastries, and sometimes quiche. I had a horrible internship selling quiche one time. *shudders*<br />
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I often see the owner, Rhonda Groh baking away as I run by at an ungodly hour of the morning. She has been a certified pastry chef since 2003. Her family has been selling her goods at the Freight House Farmer's Market for several years now and will continue to do so. The tip jar at the bakery is always donated to a charitable cause. <br />
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Red has forgone the whole concept of breakfast and always heads straight for the baked goods they also sell daily. She's had cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and a lemon bar. There's no way this kid was switched at birth. <br />
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Unkempt blonde hair. Brownie for breakfast. Definitely mine.</div>
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"You mean people actually eat vegetables?"</div>
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Lemon bar is sort of a fruit</div>
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Richie usually chooses a big cinnamon roll and a medium roast coffee. Every one raves about the coffee from here and by everyone I do mean several retirees who spend their days roaming around Eldridge. They would know, dammit.<br />
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Although they receive a steady stream of business, we have never had a problem finding a place to sit. The food is served on nice plates with real silverware. I think they could use some jazzy music playing in the background. Not because I like jazz, but because it seems like the right thing to do. <br />
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We've never had a bad dish at Eastern Iowa BC and we love the location. Be sure to check it out sometime and then catch yourself some diabetes at Smilee's Ice Cream, right across the street. The bakery is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. I'll have to update once we try lunch there!Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com32Eldridge, IA 52748, USA41.669674 -90.55414941.4798965 -90.87687249999999 41.8594515 -90.2314255tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-1128679976994109022015-04-10T14:34:00.001-05:002015-04-10T14:37:56.405-05:00Mesa PizzaBy the time we made it to Mesa Pizza in Iowa City, we had already completed a long journey. Richie, Red, Baby E, and I tiredly hustled our way through the streets of Iowa City searching for a quick bite to eat. Irritated, we had dejectedly settled on Which Wich...which is delicious, but not what we were looking for. Then I spotted a beacon in the distance, a small sign on a narrow storefront boasting the name Mesa Pizza.<br />
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Red walked in and took two steps back when she saw the murals on the walls. There was a real Tremors vibe going on.<br />
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Or maybe Beetlejuice? Dune, anyone?<br />
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"I've been to Saturn! Sandworms, huh? Hate 'em!'"</div>
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We continued on and found Kevin Bacon...no, I mean a bounty of pizza awaiting us.<br />
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Better than Kevin Bacon!</div>
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This was no ordinary pizza. These pizzas were loaded with colorful toppings. And their were so many choices! U.S.A.!<br />
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I could hardly contain my excitement when I saw a pizza slice with a french fry on it... a french fry! I don't even like french fries! <br />
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Red asked for 'just cheese." (Why do 3 year olds hate awesome food and restful sleep?) Luckily, it's not terribly difficult to convince a toddler that mac and cheese pizza is he best food ever.<br />
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Since I follow a made up diet that allows me to eat only meats and sugar, I chose a slice that had the most meat on top.<br />
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Protein! No whey?!</div>
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L<a href="http://www.mesapizzaia.com/menu.html" target="_blank">ooking at the menu,</a> I am not sure what I ate. It was similar to the Triple Smoke, a barbecue pizza with smoked ham, bacon, and steak. However, my slice clearly had large chunks of sausage and a tomato sauce. It even had part of a french fry! French fry!<br />
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After our slices were chosen, they were warmed up in a cute little oven. This made the bottoms fairly black and crispy, so we ended up eating the tops off with our forks. I thought the meats and cheeses tasted very good and were seasoned well. I really liked the tomato sauce, it wasn't too sweet or spicy. I would have liked more cheese, as it was just a thin layer of mozz. Red also enjoyed her mac n cheese slice. It did not have a tomato sauce, but a white sauce that was just a tad garlicky. A good choice for picky kids...which is every kid, right?<br />
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Richie got two slices, a chili cheese fry and BBQ bacon cheeseburger.<br />
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"It's like food made into other food"- Red</div>
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At least that's what we determined them to be. The man boy working behind the counter didn't seem to know or care. College life.<br />
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Richie said the pizza tasted good but was not filling. The chili formed the sauce on the left slice, while BBQ covered the right. Unlike us girls, he liked the crispy-framed chewy crust. After hoofing it back to our car, he was still hungry, as was I, so we stopped for some candy on the way home. Gas station snacks...<br />
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So overall, this is a bit of a mixed review. Loved the inventive flavors but didn't love the thin crust or price (3.75). Our advice- add some more toppings- let's not be stingy. And maybe hire a decorator who doesn't work with a spray can.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-88652057532406244602015-03-09T19:36:00.002-05:002015-03-10T11:18:22.639-05:00Barrel House 211<br />
Bear with me as we review yet another drinking establishment without embibing...<br />
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<a href="http://www.barrelhouse211.com/" target="_blank">Barrel House 211</a> is a shiny hole in the wall found in the Bucktown district of Davenport. In researching the location, I found that the original building was constructed in 1880 and housed a furniture manufacturer, and later, a chemical supply company. It's historic integrity has been well maintained as you can see in photos found on the <a href="http://www.davenportlibrary.com/files/5313/2510/4042/207-209_E_2nd_Street.pdf" target="_blank">Davenport Library's website</a>. The bricks in the Barrel House date to the 1920s. I was hoping to find evidence of a gangster shoot out or grisly accident, but no dice.<br />
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Not everyone loves history, but everyone loves food, right?<br />
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The Barrel House menu contains bar food with an extra punch to the gut. Several items will rain fire on your taste buds with boom boom sauce, sriracha, and wasabi. Barrel House actually serves a fairly<a href="http://www.barrelhouse211.com/menu.html" target="_blank"> large menu </a>for being primarily a bar. So you don't have to pester your DD into a Taco Bell stop, they even have a whole page of tacos and quesadillas. We started our date night with onions of all shapes and sizes. Romantic.<br />
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and greasy</div>
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I deem that God himself created a sandwich on this menu, and it's called the Miami. My favorite foods combined onto one heavenly sandwich... pulled pork tucked under sliced ham and swiss cheese, drizzled with homemade mustard, and topped with a halo of fried pickle slices. Glory be.<br />
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take me home tonight</div>
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Richard found a burger to his liking, the Cowboy burger, yee-haw~! or whatever. <br />
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While the food cooked, I divided my attention between football bloopers on ESPN and eavesdropping on a couple's first date at the next table over. They were both cringe worthy. <br />
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My sandwich wasn't the savior I was hoping for, but it was still quite good. The pork was a tad on the dry side. I would have liked some bbq sauce or more mustard added to it. The sweet potato fries were perfect. Not too sweet, not too salty. I guiltily ate the rest that night while standing at the fridge. (Sorry thighs!) I think they were even better cold. <br />
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Richie's Cowboy burger was a double patty monstrosity saddled with Sweet Baby Ray's, cheddar cheese, and onion straws. He described it as "fun." A man of few words. And a lot of onions.<br />
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so, so many onions</div>
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Based on how fast he scarfed it down, I'm going to resolve that the burger was quite delicious. Let's be honest, you can't go wrong with a coating of Sweet Baby Ray's.<br />
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Awkward couple didn't order food, but, despite the awkward hug, the date seemed to go okay...ish.<br />
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We both keep talking about returning to Barrel House, so given our current schedules, we hope to make it back within the next decade. Don't you wait that long! Good food, old bricks, and ESPN are waiting. <br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-22285373747614825982014-11-28T15:33:00.001-06:002014-11-28T15:45:10.444-06:00Barley and RyeA week before we became a quaint little family of four, Richard and I went on our once a year date night. Though Moline's <a href="http://barleyrye.com/" target="_blank">Barley and Rye</a> is not a greasy joint, we decided to head there for a nice quiet dinner. After all, we are high brow people who enjoy visiting locally owned establishments.<br />
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Barley and Rye's schtick...I mean concept, is that they are<a href="http://barleyrye.com/#menu-item-42" target="_blank"> farm to table</a>. They use ingredients grown in a 200 miles radius from the Quad Cities. The menu is for a sophisticated palate... one that my Taco Bell loving self does not possess.<br />
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"You told me we were going to Taco Bell!"</div>
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On this particular night, after dusk, we set out to satisfy a distinct craving...for meat !<br />
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Though not a fan of red meat, I found a hamburger oddly appealing. To appease my adorable werewolf-like blood lust, I ordered the burger with a maple chorizo and side of Boetje's green beans from the specials menu. Because meat topped with more meat is just what the doctor ordered for a healthy pregnancy. <br />
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Richie must have been satisfying a carnal craving as well. He chose the bone marrow starter and an order of pork belly dressed with apple butter and fennel. <br />
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After a fairly long wait, our dishes were paraded out, one at a time. The bone marrow looked particularly skeletal and not unlike the marrow treats the corgis enjoy.<br />
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dem bones</div>
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I could not muster the courage to try it, but no matter, Richie had it finished in about 60 seconds, which is really not that impressive when you consider the amount of edible food it contained. He said the texture was off putting.<br />
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I did partake in the pork belly, which was similar to a soft bacon but with the apple, had an added sweetness to it.<br />
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belly for my belly</div>
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I liked the texture and different tastes in this dish, but again, there wasn't much food there.<br />
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The burger was, as requested, well done. The flavors from the chorizo infused the burger with some sweet and spicy flavor that cleared my sinuses, but the overall texture was a bit crumbly and dry. <br />
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McCute</div>
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I ate a vegetable.</div>
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The chorizo's maple flavor was strong and I finished feeling like I had just polished off a hearty breakfast. I left with a strong case of acid reflux and I suspect Richie did too, after paying our bill...yikes. <br />
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What can I say? We deviated from our normal food choices and took a chance on some unique dishes from Barley and Rye. It wasn't our cup of (fifty dollar) tea, but it might be yours. <a href="http://barleyrye.com/#menu-item-300" target="_blank">The menu</a> changes with the seasons and availability of ingredients. Be sure to check out the ever changing Chef's features and event nights on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BarleyRye" target="_blank">FB page</a>.</div>
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-57887314728915152432014-08-29T16:25:00.000-05:002014-08-29T16:25:19.571-05:00River House Looking for yet another solid burger joint, The River House in Moline (1510 River Dr) beckoned to us from across the Mississippi River. We obliged, and found ourselves there for lunch one fine summer day.<br />
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There is a nice outdoor patio area, but ragweed is raging and my body revolting, so we headed inside and found a nice booth by the front window. <br />
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Our waitress was fast to greet us and get us drinks, but seemed a bit overwhelmed by the lunch rush. <br />
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Much of the menu looked appealing, but the fried pickles were recommended by friends who said they were amazing. <br />
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BE RIGHT THERE</div>
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That wasn't enough to please my pickled palate. I also ordered the Cuban sandwich consisting of barbeque pork, ham, cheese, and pickles on toast. <br />
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Though several burgers looked pleasing, Richie went with his namesake, the Richie Rich. This bitchin burger was made for him. It seemed like the best deal, $10.99 for two patties (most of the single patty burgers were $9-10) AND it came with a drink. The burger was layered with tomatoes, onions, lettuce, and "special sauce," which may or may not be politically correct these days. <br />
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Pickles were plucked out of the fryer and promptly placed on our table. I promptly proceeded to reduce my tongue to ashes.<br />
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Lesson learned. But were they amazing?<br />
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And out comes the "differently sauced" beast of a burger. Richie was all...<br />
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And he did. Though the burgers' flavor didn't quite cut it for him, he did finish his meal satisfied.</div>
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The Cuban was quite intimidating, but I stood my ground. </div>
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The pork was great, the ham was a little tough. Neither of us were impressed with the crinkle cut fries. </div>
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The food was better than average, and portion sizes were generous. Though not everything was a win, I think we will be back to conquer another Cuban... and a burger. </div>
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-81688149916024176892014-07-30T14:21:00.001-05:002014-07-30T15:51:18.980-05:00Mama Compton'sStarting off this post in the nerdiest way possible- One Sunday, we headed to a comic con in downtown Rock Island at the Holiday Inn. After dodging R2D2 and a herd of other sweaty nerds, we scored some sweet comics and an Iceman action figure. All that nerdiness left us famished.<br />
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Looking at toys is hard work guys. </div>
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We wandered back to our car and saw that <a href="http://mamacomptons.com/">Mama Compton's</a> was just across the street. Being too lazy/hungry to walk any further, and despite it's artsy bohemian vibe, we decided to give it a try.<br />
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We collapsed onto the first table we saw, directly in front of an old television playing The Rugrats movie. The other side of the table was a child's dream and a germaphobe's worst nightmare, a play area with a little kitchen and dozens of old toys. I was just stoked that there would be no wrestling match to keep Red in her booster seat.<br />
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"Thank you Jesus!"- Tired parents</div>
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The menu tells a bit of the <a href="http://mamacomptons.com/History.html">history</a>, Betty "Mama" Compton inspired the recipes but passed away in 1995, several years before the restaurant opened. In 2008, they moved to their current location- 1725 2nd Avenue. They call it Arts Alley, because it's, ummm, artsy and in an alley.<br />
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This is art.</div>
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The menu is available online <a href="http://order.letsorderonline.com/display/menu/mamacomptons">here</a>. I was able to find a few options for myself and eventually settled on the F-Troop Salad wrap. Which I proceeded to unwrap and eat as a salad anyway. It was very fresh and flavorful. A nice light lunch. (and then I had Ben & Jerry's as soon as we got home.)<br />
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I'm Healthy</div>
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Richie gorged himself on the Haver Burger, topped with cheddar, bacon, honey mustard, and apples?!<br />
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I'm delicious.</div>
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This might be the first time I ever saw him eat a fruit...yes, it's definitely the first time I have ever seen him eat a fruit. The burger was cooked perfectly and all the flavors melded well together. Screw vegetables.<br />
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The kids get to pick 3 of anything, so Red chose chicken tenders, applesauce, and french toast. She has a refined palate for all things white. After I finished my food, I chased her around the toys shoving bites into her mouth.<br />
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I actually enjoyed the restaurant's vibe, it was very kid-friendly and homey. Some guy was playing guitar on stage, but he wasn't too loud or awful. He was just mildly terrible.<br />
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The staff were nice and chatty. Maybe too chatty. But the food was the highlight of our day. Several times since, Richie has craved a burger from Mama's. We will definitely be returning to Mama Compton's for a (relatively) peaceful meal.<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-61584027651213176212014-07-09T15:27:00.004-05:002014-07-09T15:39:26.203-05:00Big Dave and Holly'sWordless Wednesday<br />
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(Almost)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUP9vxluZtD-eZt3FYS46i2Dx6U0CjX1Al8oMFzZdA7VXkSMKpaDrUxby_DbB-R6I3ALy6h1fsy5tiVUoTehJEopo30FbNchgPGB7k5lL3Vs2xYBwkNyGePKL7tfmp_iF4x5mvOA8ByJH/s1600/IMG_20140701_130614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoUP9vxluZtD-eZt3FYS46i2Dx6U0CjX1Al8oMFzZdA7VXkSMKpaDrUxby_DbB-R6I3ALy6h1fsy5tiVUoTehJEopo30FbNchgPGB7k5lL3Vs2xYBwkNyGePKL7tfmp_iF4x5mvOA8ByJH/s1600/IMG_20140701_130614.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
Another top notch tenderloin. This one coming to my stomach from Big Dave and Holly's in LeClaire. Grilled well, not overdone like others I have tried.</div>
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And a post would not be complete without a beautiful burger shot. </div>
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or two</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgjW2VQp27Sx40MepTRfIDvbFSAadJq92-j6sgA8gHeuMCxn2a6zpoqpLmIpaKN7ch3gmXHYyF5uaHuDotlcqJABCcemgW4JuHBBn1C8kROrX_UAr3TOF4OSXhyphenhyphenMM59Jhq4QlTcqaIZzY/s1600/IMG_20140701_130716.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlgjW2VQp27Sx40MepTRfIDvbFSAadJq92-j6sgA8gHeuMCxn2a6zpoqpLmIpaKN7ch3gmXHYyF5uaHuDotlcqJABCcemgW4JuHBBn1C8kROrX_UAr3TOF4OSXhyphenhyphenMM59Jhq4QlTcqaIZzY/s1600/IMG_20140701_130716.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Also grilled to perfection with a crisp outside and juicy innards</div>
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Big Dave and Holly's- still a great little joint for fast homemade food and ice cream!<br />
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-38139843122486359912014-06-27T16:07:00.002-05:002014-06-28T16:12:15.903-05:00Smokey's Country DinerBeing from the Iowa side of the river, the Illinois Quad-Cities is a bit foreign to me. We finally ventured over to East Moline, which is, well, East of Moline. We followed 7th Avenue which magically turned into 17th Avenue, where we found Smokey's Country Diner.<br />
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Welcome Hansel. Welcome Gretel.</div>
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We were greeted in a small front room with one booth and a couple tables. We went ahead and slid into the large booth by the door. They have a larger dining area in the next room.<br />
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The lengthy menu includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and all meals are served all day.<br />
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I want to take this home to read it over and over.</div>
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Picking my dinner was the hardest decision I've made in a while. Rough life, right?<br />
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I elected to continue my tenderloin quest and bravely stepped forward to challenge another promising piece of pork. I also got cheese fries because... CHEESE FRIES!<br />
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Richie ordered...a monster burger. Surprise?! Bateman went with the mammoth sized Mac Daddy plate, barbeque pork in a cave of macaroni and cheese with, oh, just a niggle of baked beans and scant serving of coleslaw.<br />
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Red insisted on getting a waffle that I knew she would not eat. She is 50% bread, 20% chicken nugget and 30% fruit snacks.<br />
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Richie's burger came out tasting fresh and homemade. All three(!) patties were juicy and flavorful enough for him to claim that it rivals <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgreasyjoints.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F08%2Flees-on-14th.html&ei=MlCsU82cNsScyATSsIGQCw&usg=AFQjCNEEhurdk23h-nSzDWnenjnpBZ5kjA&sig2=bqN0b_yCzmJ49i62lhQUgw&bvm=bv.69837884,d.aWw">Lee's on 14th</a> for the best burger in the QCA.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVsj8v5KqKlBGf13228AmnJh9OV07wlLtp1wY8jL8zyS8m7N_6nCV1sbcQUFGPQX4Ha6hJIekgtD50q_XxgUATiV5aCgm0ixGs_Tbp9J8NNYOLgJYtb9MUqS7eQmnRKBY0fwsqE5Iiail/s1600/leesburg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLZPUdxEg_i20exdfPBsWVdZI9wgnOJPmXPLyOFS50hNrrm95j-bSV3eii20vtoOvmjsW-R2KegtO7nPxZFODzeL4FTmgUxyh7XyaqDF9M6UJv8umEwbPTNJ8PJCYcfJSQQ3NOXtggsaH/s1600/leesburg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLZPUdxEg_i20exdfPBsWVdZI9wgnOJPmXPLyOFS50hNrrm95j-bSV3eii20vtoOvmjsW-R2KegtO7nPxZFODzeL4FTmgUxyh7XyaqDF9M6UJv8umEwbPTNJ8PJCYcfJSQQ3NOXtggsaH/s1600/leesburg2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a> </div>
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And here's another giant tenderloin to add to my collection.<br />
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Love me tender</div>
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I ate about 2/3 of this pretty piece of pork. It was seasoned well and grilled perfectly. In my valuation of all the tenderloins I have had thus far, this is #2 on my list. Still gotta go with 11th Street Precinct as top pig.
The fries were a bit on the soggy side, but they were thick and appeared to be fresh cut. The cheese sauce was an excellent addition. I didn't touch the coleslaw because it's coleslaw. <br />
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The waffle was soft and fluffy but remained untouched. Red did gnaw on the bacon and consumed most of my toasted bun. (With lots of ketchup)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVsj8v5KqKlBGf13228AmnJh9OV07wlLtp1wY8jL8zyS8m7N_6nCV1sbcQUFGPQX4Ha6hJIekgtD50q_XxgUATiV5aCgm0ixGs_Tbp9J8NNYOLgJYtb9MUqS7eQmnRKBY0fwsqE5Iiail/s1600/leesburg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidVsj8v5KqKlBGf13228AmnJh9OV07wlLtp1wY8jL8zyS8m7N_6nCV1sbcQUFGPQX4Ha6hJIekgtD50q_XxgUATiV5aCgm0ixGs_Tbp9J8NNYOLgJYtb9MUqS7eQmnRKBY0fwsqE5Iiail/s1600/leesburg.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
I spy an uneaten waffle in the background.<br />
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We received a bounty of food and feasted like kings and queens and then...the bill came and we felt a bit like paupers. I have to say, it's fair for the amount of food you get, but not what one usually expects of a family restaurant. Nonetheless, the food will bring us back in the near future.
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-85840919506812649542014-06-13T15:55:00.001-05:002014-06-16T07:46:41.319-05:00Homer's Deli and Sweetheart BakeryWho wants to take a road trip to Clinton, Iowa?! No one. No one wants to take a road trip to Clinton, Iowa. Too bad- here we go!<br />
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Though largely thought of as an industrial town that stinks to high heaven, Clinton is a hidden gem with some cool spots. Paul's for example. Paul's is a discount general store that has just about everything you could ever think you need. I needed chocolate covered bacon soda pop. Head downtown and you'll find a lot of small businesses, secondhand stores, and thrift shops. After visiting a few of these places, we headed to the Lyons district for a bite to eat. <br />
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<a href="http://www.sweetheartbakery.com/homers-deli.html" target="_blank">Homer's Deli</a>, connected to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Homers-Deli-and-Sweetheart-Bakery/160894850626874" target="_blank">Sweetheart Bakery</a>, looks and smells like a <a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/search/label/Hungry%20Hobo" target="_blank">Hungry Hobo</a>.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1X-496sTeB4P9qnJb2QHpDMk8F4KZNgTcAxH2xkAuXIvfQZzUgjG8RKSkzTLyegP9mdFctNZFhvsvwF0Z9LzeufTYFm8OoLa84Vw7fqs0FhVeMkIXFS6_6rii2SAPEsUp6BoMlpB9F-TA/s1600/deli.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1X-496sTeB4P9qnJb2QHpDMk8F4KZNgTcAxH2xkAuXIvfQZzUgjG8RKSkzTLyegP9mdFctNZFhvsvwF0Z9LzeufTYFm8OoLa84Vw7fqs0FhVeMkIXFS6_6rii2SAPEsUp6BoMlpB9F-TA/s320/deli.jpg" /></a>
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It was established in 1984 and named after local grocer Homer Kopp. Unlike HH, they offer an array of bread and you can customize your sandwich with over 20 different condiments, including pickles! I can't find their menu online, but it's a deli, you can figure it out. <br />
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I ordered their barbecue pulled pork sandwich with mustard and pickles. <br />
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My mom ordered the Russian Reuben which is turkey crowned in Swiss cheese buried under Russian coleslaw. Several nationalities under one rye roof. <br />
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A slight twist on the traditional. She also ordered a side of pasta salad which seemed to be of the mayonnaise persuasion, so I passed. <br />
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I'm going to have to use the most despised word in the English language to describe the pulled pork...moist. It really was. Probably because it was steeped in a sweet barbecue sauce that complemented the yellow mustard and pickles nicely.<br />
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My mom enjoyed her hearty Russian Reuben, claiming the flavors meshed well together. <br />
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The bakery side was a hoppin with activity, it seems to be THE PLACE to go for graduation <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Homers-Deli-and-Sweetheart-Bakery/160894850626874?id=160894850626874&sk=photos_stream" target="_blank">cakes</a>. Almost too pretty to eat...almost. The bakery has been going strong since 1950, and original recipes are still used today.<br />
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Sorry for the bum shots ladies</div>
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After several customers cut in front of me...(wtf Clintonians?) I ordered a filled long john and three iced sugar cookies. The bewitching cookies were on the crisp side, and the icing was very sweet.<br />
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Red did not eat much of her doughnut, but I took a bite and it reminded me of the gems at Old Towne Bakery in Moline (whoops didn't review them yet). Apparently Sweetheart is known for their <a href="http://www.sweetheartbakery.com/blarnies.html" target="_blank">blarnies</a>, but I did not partake because putting nuts on a cake is a surefire way to desecrate a delicious cake. <br />
If you find yourself in Clinton, be sure to check out this deli/bakery combo. A sandwich and a sugar cookie...what more could you need for lunch? Vegetables? pfft.
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-19151388005617289602014-06-08T13:16:00.001-05:002014-06-08T15:03:04.741-05:00Rockingham Road Dairy Freez<a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/2009/06/tastee-freeze.html" target="_blank">Tastee Freez</a> is no more. But it has arisen from the depths of ice cream hell to become DAIRY Freez. <br />
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At first glance, Dairy Freez isn't much different from it's predecessor. The menu board is exactly the same. <br />
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DAIRY FREEZ</div>
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TASTEE FREEZ: 100% MORE TASTEE</div>
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We arrived around 5:30 on a Tuesday night and had to wait about 5 minutes for someone to take our order. After we ordered, the crowd cleared out a bit, but our food still took about, oh, AN ETERNITY...or 15 minutes. We grabbed a table and unwrapped our Freez feast. <br />
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All day long, Richie was belly aching for a burger. He ordered a double cheeseburger basket with fries and coleslaw. He said the food was OK. The burger was OK, the fries were OK, the shake was OK. Very descriptive. <br />
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He was disappointed that the bun was not toasted and said it kind of ruined the burger for him.<br />
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I decided to try the Philly chicken. The chicken was basically grilled, chopped, capped with white cheese, and stuffed into a hot dog bun. I'm not picky, it was delicious, and I skipped the bun anyway. A cute little sparrow benefited. <br />
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My "loaded" fries were a big letdown. Scant amount of cheese was melted into a rubbery glue on top of their crinkle cut fries. The bacon was chopped into a few large pieces and sprinkled on top. I barely touched them. <br />
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I capped off my meal with a gummy bear shake. The gummy bears infused a light fruity flavor into the vanilla ice cream. They then rested peacefully on the bottom in a mass grave of mutilated gummy bears. I drank for awhile, then grabbed a spoon to properly lay the bears to rest in my mouth. <br />
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Richie got the Nerds shake, also fruit infused, but try to suck a nerd through a straw. It cannot be done. <br />
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I think Dairy Freez is a cool place, a throwback to "simpler times," or so I'm told. The food was fast food quality but it certainly wasn't fast. To be fair, it can't be easy to cook food in that tiny little cracker box. There aren't many better options for drive-in food in the QCA, but you could try Big Dave and Holly's in LeClaire. As for the ice cream, I will give you the green light.<br />
<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-54955290237629646382014-05-21T12:12:00.003-05:002014-05-21T12:12:41.129-05:00Front Street BreweryI apologize in advance for the lack of beer in this post about a brewery. We are just in it for the food. <br />
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Front House Brewery is housed in a building that has worn many hats. It used to be a vegetable warehouse, a car repair shop, and a printing company. It became Front Street Brewery in 1992. Front Street references River Drive which runs just outside it's doors and separates the building from the mighty Mississippi River and that lovely smell. <br />
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Both of us have been to Front Street Brewery before, but never at the same time. We decided to visit on a relatively quiet Tuesday evening. The restaurant is long and narrow with booths along one wall and a bar on the other. They also have a nice beer garden area in the back. The booths were full, so we grabbed a table right in the front of the restaurant.<br />
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I remembered enjoying fried pickles on my last visit, so I was a bit dismayed to not see them on the menu. Dismayed is a nice way of saying this hangry prego lady was pissed. It was a long day and I was about ready to eat my hand, so the Slow Roasted BBQ Pork Nachos sounded particularly pleasing. Richie ordered the Cajun Burger. I think he was sold as soon as he read "candied bacon." Having just watched the movie "Bears," Red wanted to eat fish like a bear.<br />
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Yea...like that.</div>
Luckily they have fish and chips on the kids menu.<br />
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Our food arrived in a timely manner and I was immediately overwhelmed by my plate of nachos. <br />
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This was a 1/2 serving. Maybe the cook can't math?</div>
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How do I...hands?...fork?...dump into mouth? The chips are layered with pork, BBQ, roasted sweet corn with onions and beans, and melted cheeeeeeze. They normally come with jalapenos, but my stomach would have NOPED on out of there. <br />
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I attempted to eat politely with a fork, but what's the point? I eventually threw that aside and dug in with my hands. The pork was moist and tender. The BBQ is a Chipotle Mustard blend that was sweet and tangy. There was more than enough cheese to make a vegan cry. When the waitress took away my plate it looked like I hadn't touched it, but touched it I had. Mhmm. I also snagged some of Richie's sweet potato fries. He said they were too sweet, so I guessed they'd be perfect for my palate. They were. <br />
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Between roaring like a bear and trying to lick the window, Red ate one of the fish fillets. I call that a victory.<br />
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Richie's burger was a hot mess. I mean that in the best way possible.<br />
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The burger was crowned with pepperjack cheese, jalapenos, spicy mayo, and candied bacon. He said the flavors blended well together and created a spicy masterpiece of a burger. The burger itself was juicy and cooked well. The fries were a nice contrast to the spiciness, but they got too sweet for his tooth. How anything can be too sweet to a guy who drinks 6 cans of Mt Dew in a day is beyond me. <br />
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Front Street has earned itself a return visit by this dining duo and their bear child. The food was delicious, filling, and priced fair. I presume that Front Street would appeal to people who are both food and drink connoisseurs.<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-51514434542909991762014-05-07T22:16:00.000-05:002014-05-07T22:29:36.410-05:00Pizza Throwdown<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: left;">Just stopping by for a quick post about PIZZA. </span></div>
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What makes pizza so delicious ? Yoga mats? No that was Subway. Apparently <a href="http://foodbabe.com/2014/03/23/if-youve-ever-eaten-pizza-before-this-will-blow-your-mind/">it's MSG. </a> And no one cared and we all continued to eat pizza. In fact, 13% of Americans consume pizza on any given day! That's a statistic <a href="http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/12355000/pdf/DBrief/11_consumption_of_pizza_0710.pdf">from the USDA</a> </div>
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Over the past few months, Richie has partaken in many a pizza.
First, I treated him and Red to a heart shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's for Valentine's Day. If you can operate an oven, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CD8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.papamurphys.com%2F&ei=IJ1qU8z_BMSfyAS4n4DwCg&usg=AFQjCNG2cP3Qua2ezLiRzdmDJzBlZRwraQ&sig2=AlgvvM7EXqedLPSr2aK2FA&bvm=bv.66330100,d.aWw">Papa Murphy's</a> is pretty much pizza perfection. It's seasoned perfectly and the toppings are well distributed (until you drive it home in your car and take a hard turn).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrosT1SXWUs2a_GVdrRwH-tiu27qw-53iTFcBPu2Svz72XlusmbC7Nqb8GF-8MXFuoRTyVeS1fGHjljKDm2z0ts6J_6_ot-q8VLSjtKIuBZL8pjth_GhWmTRpAbLow6G7KReCmR0PLGrh/s1600/papa+m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimrosT1SXWUs2a_GVdrRwH-tiu27qw-53iTFcBPu2Svz72XlusmbC7Nqb8GF-8MXFuoRTyVeS1fGHjljKDm2z0ts6J_6_ot-q8VLSjtKIuBZL8pjth_GhWmTRpAbLow6G7KReCmR0PLGrh/s320/papa+m.jpg" /></a></div>
Just tilt your head to the left, k? Heart!<br />
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Then we headed downtown to Falbo Brothers Pizza (2nd and Main Davenport). It's a Midwest chain that started in Madison WI. <a href="http://www.falbobrospizza.com/story.html">Here</a> is their cute story. They have pizza slices most of the day and a <a href="http://www.falbobrospizza.com/pdf/davenport.pdf">full menu</a>, including gluten free crust.<br />
Richie and his friend shared a Cajun Firebomb. My stomach wouldn't touch that with a ten foot pole. Last time I ate spicy food, I ended up in the ER. NEVER FORGET
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHGlr3vSeq1wGb5lyrxWIjSquy020yklfdSuTeaKapIM-d97mRmQCe_sgTJ54Q0s0epy2ZE7nnGyaNpwKVIfGR2huviAF-wZK8Adc9f-3RjncMHlZ609V8RzQbKxuxmDOKo9B6PzKOYbv/s1600/falbos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPHGlr3vSeq1wGb5lyrxWIjSquy020yklfdSuTeaKapIM-d97mRmQCe_sgTJ54Q0s0epy2ZE7nnGyaNpwKVIfGR2huviAF-wZK8Adc9f-3RjncMHlZ609V8RzQbKxuxmDOKo9B6PzKOYbv/s320/falbos.jpg" /></a></div>
They ordered a deep dish but got served thin crust. So I guess the service wasn't the best. It was jazz night when we visited. Despite all those darn seniors making noise, we both give Falbo's food thumbs up.<br />
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Then we have Monical's Pizza. A point of contention in our relationship. He loves it, I hate it. He grew up with it, so I imagine that is some of the appeal. This is also true of our opinions on Quad-Cities style pizza. I grew up with it and I love it. He does not.<br />
Monical's is a chain located mostly in <a href="http://www.monicals.com/locations/">Illinois and Indiana</a>. They serve scant pizza toppings on crackers. But that's just my opinion. SOME people put this bright pink french dressing on top and call it delicious while inhaling an entire medium. Some people. *shakes head*
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Chef Boyardee makes a better pizza.</div>
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Finally, we have The Slice. The Slice Pizza opened in downtown Moline (1401 5th Ave) <a href="http://qctimes.com/business/pizza-restaurant-opens-in-moline/article_7050b7db-1aae-5ea4-95f6-7accde886e53.html" target="_blank">back in January</a>. They offer a lunch buffet, a full pizza and sandwich menu, and pizza slices are available from 9 pm to 3am on the weekends. The name is a tad misleading as a couple people stopped in while we were there and wanted to know if they could just get a slice. No dice. I could hear the cook's frustration as he once again explained, "it's just a name."</div>
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Le Menu</div>
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I knew Richie would, yet again, want the spiciest pie on the menu, the Cajun Gumbo. I ordered an unbreaded tenderloin with fries. He also got an order of 5th Avenue Bread, which is a fanciful way of saying "pizza crust with garlic and lots o cheese." </div>
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Red was quite amused when the cook began tossing the pizza crust in the air. It truly is an art. The cook then brought us out fancy white plates and nice silverware, a stark contrast to what I would expect of a pizza joint on the corner. </div>
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Our food came out about 15 minutes later. Here is our bounty:</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">My tenderloin is hiding under that mass of pickles. I am still half heartedly on a quest to find the<a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/search/label/Tenderloin" target="_blank"> best tenderloin in the QC</a>. This was not it, but I have no complaints. </span> It was thin and grilled with a touch of spice. </div>
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The 5th Ave bread ended up being the big hit. Richie called it addictive and finished over half of the pan. He also took in two slices of gumbo pizza while telling me, "you definitely wouldn't like it." He thinks pizza sauce is mixed with cajun spices to create the "cajun gumbo sauce." The crust had a nice chewy consistency, not too thin, not too thick. Hmm, that's how I like my men. </div>
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So there we have four pizza joints. As if you needed help finding pizza, right? </div>
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Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-50947199644591962202014-05-05T18:17:00.002-05:002014-05-05T18:25:44.837-05:00Grille 350Let's just pretend it hasn't been an eon since the last update...<br />
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The latest issue of <a href="http://www.quadcitiesdiningguide.com/" target="_blank">River Cities Reader's Dining Guide</a> recently hit the news stands, so we eagerly picked up a copy and made some notes of places we would like to visit. We were again reminded that we had yet to stop by the restaurant approximately . 3 miles from our front door, Grille 350 (350 E LeClaire Rd Eldridge). Earlier this year, Lancers Grille went through a renovation and morphed into Grille 350. The e on the end makes it fancy, k? Lancers was nothing to sing about, and I had heard mixed reviews of 350, but we decided to try it out anyway.<br />
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<a href="https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1459213_550586361695479_834927663_n.jpg" target="_blank">The menu</a> is small, but intriguing. You can order from the adjacent<a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/2011/05/happy-joes-pizza.html" target="_blank"> Happy Joe's</a> as well, which in hindsight, would have been a good idea. Nomelet pizza!<br />
I am a sucker for mac n cheese, and the "Eldridge Mac N Cheese" had sweet corn, steak, bacon, and green beans?! I was hoping this could be a side dish because I really shouldn't eat macaroni, but no dice. I was also tempted by Smokehouse BBQ Candied Bacon options. Luckily Richie ordered it so I could steal a taste.<br />
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Entreese frome thee grille</div>
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Though our waitress was prompt and polite enough, the food was slow to come out. We waited 20-25 minutes but it felt like 60 because we had our toddler crawling on the dirty floor and trying to eat ice cubes. The bar was pretty packed with sad retired teachers and coaches, but only a few other booths were ordering food.<br />
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When our food arrived, I was disappointed by what I saw. It looked more like cheese soup than homemade macaroni. I had flashbacks of eating similar looking Hamburger Helper meals in the 90s. Like buried treasure, I had to search for the steak. I found about one big piece of what looked like a slice of Steakums guiltily hiding under the mess.<br />
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"Sorry, not sorry for pretending to be steak"</div>
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I have to admit, this photo was taken right before we left, after I had eaten about 3 bites of macaroni and picked out most of the green beans and bacon. I did not get a doggy bag. <br />
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Richie's burger came out branded like a cow. </div>
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"moo?"</div>
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The burger was tucked under aged cheddar, BBQ bacon jam, and candied bacon. His expert opinion on the burger? The jam was too sweet. It did not have the smoky or savory flavor that he expected. The candied bacon was caramelized and well prepared. The patty was mediocre and he felt that it was probably frozen and pre-made, as it did not have much flavor or juiciness. His onion rings were crisp and delicious but also probably frozen and dumped in a fryer. For the price tag, he felt the food should have been fresh and on par with Red Robin.
And here is Red's burger and sweet potato fries. I eventually coerced her into eating most of the burger.</div>
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I ate most of the sweet potato fries. They were quite good, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. </div>
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My overall impression of Grille 350 is that it is a bar that offers food to soak up the alcohol. I appreciate the thought put into the menu, but the food doesn't live up to its description. I mean, I'd eat it if someone else bought it, but I'm not opening my wallet to go there. The interior is nice and features one billion TVs all tuned to ESPN. Like Lancers, there just is no reason to make a return visit.
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-28002317389312560392013-08-23T13:54:00.001-05:002013-08-23T14:20:04.364-05:00Lee's on 14thDon't worry, we are still alive. We still eat food, but it's usually microwaved or served in a white paper bag. Our weights our down, but our cholesterol and BP are through the roof.
Truthfully, Richie has been to a lot of delicious food places lately, but refuses to write a blog, so I had to wait until we actually went somewhere together.<br />
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Holes in the wall (hole in the walls?) aren't easy to visit when your child is a picky eater who despises high chairs. So we finally decided to leave her in the car while we ate and got lunch at Lee's on 14th. (Is she joking?)<br />
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(Yes.)<br />
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Photo from <a href="http://roadtips.typepad.com/a_salesguys_guide_to_the_/2011/06/lees-on-14th-rock-island-il.html" target="_blank">Road Tips</a> < Check out his blog!<!----click--><br />
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Lee's used to be a little joint called the Waffle House, but not affiliated with the <a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/2011/05/waffle-house.html">amazing chain</a>. It reopened with new owners and the new name in 2010. They are only open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. You pretty much have to be old or jobless to eat there.<br />
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The place is very small but well lit and clean. It can get a little warm in there with all of the cooking going on, but a fan created a nice tropical breeze. We sat at the counter and perused their one page lunch menu.
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It is a typical diner menu with grilled sandwich baskets, a couple of cold options, and fries for the side. Richie, of course, had to conquer the cheeseburger basket. Their single burgers are 11 ounces of beef, so only the truly brave and noble should try the double. Being neither, he opted for the single.<br />
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I ordered the grilled tenderloin with a side of cheese fries. I am on a mission to find the best grilled tenderloin in the QCA. Stay tuned.<br />
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The cook is in full view of the counter, so we sat mesmerized while he prepared our meals. Let me set the scene for you.
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A young rugged man wearing a black t shirt and cargo shorts emerged from the steam carrying a giant burger patty and slapped it hard on the grill. Then he grabbed my loin, gently laid it out, and covered it with a press. Getting hot yet?
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Next he snatched a bag of crinkle cut french fries from the freezer and cast them into the sizzling fryer. I spent the next five minutes eye stalking my pork and thoroughly creeping out the cook. Nonetheless, our food was promptly delivered to the counter and to our mouths.<br />
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My tenderloin was BIG. I finished about 3/4 of it, sans bun. It was juicy and topped with God's gift to the sandwich... pickles. The crinkle cut fries were cooked perfectly, a delicious potato pillow wrapped in a crispy case. The melted cheese was the golden icing on the cake.<br />
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Richie describes his colossal burger as juicy and flavorful, despite only being comprised of beef, salt, and pepper. The bun was also delicious...as it should have been... I saw the cook slather about half a stick of butter on that thing. <br />
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It was so huge, he was barely able to finish.<br />
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I'm sure that, on a better day, he could conquer the double. Like maybe on a day he exercises. J/K! Richie doesn't exercise.<br />
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Lee's on 14th is definitely where all the cool cats hang out during the day. The food is good, price is fair, atmosphere is homey, and service is stellar. My tenderloin was filling and satisfying, but I still think <a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/2012/09/11th-street-precinct.html">11th Street'</a>s was a God send. Burger aficianados should definitely check out this cracker box short order diner, as it is in the running for best burger in the QC (according to Richie).<br />
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<a href="http://roadtips.typepad.com/a_salesguys_guide_to_the_/2011/06/lees-on-14th-rock-island-il.html" target="_blank">CLICK HERE</a> for another review from Road Tips and <a href="http://des-loines.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a> for a similar tenderloin quest.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-39054106511149015082013-04-30T16:12:00.001-05:002013-04-30T16:23:35.568-05:00Bandana's Bar-B-Q<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After running a race in Marion, I was famished and craving something filling, so we stopped at Bandana's Bar-B-Q in Coralville. I was unaware this was a chain until I googled them today, but apparently they have about 30 restaurants sprinkled throughout the Midwest. Bandana's first opened in Missouri in 1996. They use a real wood pit smoker that is smokin 24 hours a day. The meats smoke for 11-14 hours before they're ready for their adoring fans. <br />
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The decor has a fake rustic feel, like eating in a really clean poorly lit barn. I was craving a diet Coke, but the server informed me they only had Pepsi products and sweet tea. . I had water.<br />
<a href="http://www.bandanasbbq.com/Main_Menu.pdf" target="_blank">The menu</a> is quite extensive and includes calorie counts on each platter. Seems like a good way to lose business. The barbecue nacho appetizer was enticing until I peeked at the gluttonous calorie count. Yikes. Of course men don't worry about such things, I doubt it even registered with Richie.
I don't know who thought "Wet Bandana" was a good name for a barbecue plate, it sounds like a term straight from Urban Dictionary, but I ordered one anyway. It's a jumble of turkey and chicken steeped in spicy sauce.<br />
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The lunch plate came with one side, so I chose my favorite green legumes.
Richie struggled with his choice and eventually decided upon the pulled pork sandwich, cloaked with coleslaw, and a side of baked beans.<br />
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Scarlett chose to eat crayons and two Tootsie Pops, but we also ordered Beans and Weenies for her amusement. See? Amusing.
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Apparently it was too cute to eat.<br />
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My food was eaten in such haste, I barely remember my nose running from the spicy barbecue sauce slathered on top. The turkey was juicy and the chicken was pretty moist as well. The green beans needed more meat. Literally. I want mine coated with bacon grease.<br />
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Richie fell in love with the vinegar based Carolina-style sauce that had quite a zip to it, but determined the pork was a tad on the dry side. He was also unimpressed by the baked beans, which is no surprise to anyone who has tasted his homemade brown sugar loaded version.
For a barbecue chain, Bandana's is certainly a step above the rest. The meat has a good smoky flavor, but seems to be missing some of the love you'll find at smaller bbq joints. Nonetheless, it will satisfy your hankering for smoked meats and thousands of calories.
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-2256469206974477302013-04-22T19:48:00.001-05:002013-04-22T22:01:23.795-05:00Which WichFinally rolling out a new blog post. Taking a one year old out to eat isn't exactly a barrel of fun. Who knew?<br />
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This past weekend we headed west to Hawkeye country for an overnight stay in Coralville, Iowa. Desperate for food on a busy Friday night, we finally ended up stopping at a strip mall in a mall parking lot. I had heard of the chain Which Wich, but again, this one is slow to expand in Iowa, so it's new to us.<br />
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What makes Which Wich different from any other sandwich place? Well it doesn't smell like a boy's locker room. It also lets you customize your sandwich in a variety of ways by marking your choices on a paper bag into which your sandwich will delicately be placed. As someone who likes a weird combination of tastes that could cause the snotty food workers to give me a stink eye, I liked the anonymity of the bag. They do ask you to write your name, but you could write any version of the Seymour Butts gag if you choose. Which wich also has a lot more options than your average sandwich joint, hence the "no holding up the line" paper bag trick.<br />
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After marking our choices, we grabbed a table and waited for our big Come on down! moment. Richie got called first so he grabbed his Wicked Wich and got to munching. The Wicked is a 5 meat monstrosity that includes 3 cheeses to really get your heart pumping and failing. He also asked for horseradish, crispy onion thingys, and a kitchen sink.<br />
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My tame looking salad came out next, just the way I asked. Double the ham, scrambled eggs, feta cheese, and yellow mustard. Chef don't judge.<br />
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Red has a pretty limited taste palate, so we hoped pizzawich minus the crusts would satisfy. It did. <br />
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<a href="http://www.whichwich.com/about_us" target="_blank">Which Wich</a> was created by a veteran in the food business who was burnt out on the quality and lack of variety in quick service sandwich shops. I would say he did a great job of improving the food and atmosphere. The food costs a little more than your 5 dollar footlong, but it's worth bypassing the slimy meats and tasteless cheeses. If you happen upon a Which Wich, stop by for a brown bagged treat. Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-48753669523858646552013-01-22T15:47:00.003-06:002013-01-22T15:48:22.270-06:00Sunshine Family RestaurantOn a freezing cold day in Iowa, there's really not much to do, except maybe clean your house, but who does that? Certainly not me. We decided to head North to Dubuque to visit an aquarium. But this is Iowa, so it was just filled with big ugly suckers like gar and catfish. To make up for the less than impressive aquatic displays, we decided to stop for a hearty meal. We settled on the closest place that served breakfast food.
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Sunshine Family Restaurant is located in an old building on a tiny corner in downtown Dubuque. The history of the restaurant is printed on the menus but did I think to take a photo of it? Nope. It has had many different names over the years but, as I recall, it has always been a family restaurant.
The restaurant has an open floor plan with booths along the walls, tables in the center, register up front, and closed off kitchen. The decor is retro, but not really in a cool way. It seems stuck in the early 80s, but at least it was clean and comfortable.<br />
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Clearly we were moving in this pic<br />
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The menu resembled a short novel. I found the breakfast chapter and settled in. The waitress was very prompt, so I panicked and chose the meat lovers skillet, which was a good choice in the end. Richie asked for his current food infatuation, the corned beef and hash. We ordered a burger for the offspring whose tastes seem to be a perfect blend of both of us, eating only red meat and sugar.
Our food came out blazing fast, which is a huge plus when you have a toddler with limitless energy
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The skillet a lovely nest of freshly shredded hash browns mingling with the three little piggies, bacon, ham, and sausage. A light blanket of scrambled eggs laid on top. The meal came with a side of toast and cost less than 6 dollars.
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Richie's plate could barely contain the mountain of hash and more than generous serving of potatoes.<br />
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Red's hamburger came on a soft bun and heap of thick cut french fries.<br />
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Swimming always leaves me famished and just watching those fish must have had the same effect. We threw the food down our throats like it was our last meal.<br />
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Sunshine was the perfect place for these two breakfast loving bodies. The food left our bellies full and warm on that chilly Sunday.
Hours: 6 am-9 pm daily
Partial <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/cities/128-dubuque/restaurants/900238-sunshine-family-restaurant/menu">Menu</a>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-49672835263868468672012-11-30T09:52:00.001-06:002012-11-30T09:52:59.512-06:00Checkers Pancake HouseJust a hop, skip, and a jump away from Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg Illinois is the cute little diner, <a href="http://www.checkerspancakehouse.com/" target="_blank">Checkers Pancake House</a>. <br />
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It looks to be in a remodeled Wendy's building, but they did a heck of a job on it. The whole place was extremely shiny and clean. A busboy was walking around polishing the freaking chairs. He was actually keeping busy instead of smoking in the parking lot and talking crap about fellow employees. Color me impressed. In fact, every single employee was genuinely sweet to us. Must be something in the water...or coffee.<br />
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<a href="http://www.checkerspancakehouse.com/menu.html" target="_blank">The menu</a> was similar to <a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/2012/02/family-restaurant.html" target="_blank">Family Restaurant</a> in Davenport. Pancakes, omelets, and a few dishes with a Greek influence. I knew I wanted a big omelet and Richie wanted a lot of food so we were both pleased with the large menu. After carefully analyzing my choices, I finally decided on the Hawaiian omelet because I have never thought to pair pineapple with egg. <br />
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Richie ordered corned beef and hash, 2 eggs, hash browns, and pancakes. Less than ten minutes later, our food was served fresh off the griddle.<br />
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Aloha! My ridiculously large omelet was stuffed full of goodies, including the sweet and juicy pineapple chunks. It was kind of a different taste, not unlike that of Hawaiian pizza. I enjoyed the salty sweet combination but the mixture of textures was off putting. I ended up eating around most of the pineapple.<br />
The hash browns were freshly shredded from potatoes. Definitely a step up from the dehydrated ones that I make from the box. Just add water. They were lightly seasoned with salt and pepper.<br />
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The pancakes were thick and fluffy but the syrup had a strange flavor. Maybe we got the sugar free kind on accident?<br />
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Richie's meal was nearly gone before I lifted my fork. A testament to the tastiness of his meal and his amazing digestive system. We noticed that, like the Family Restaurant, his two eggs magically became four. Must be using chickens on some serious fertility drugs. <br />
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Both of us left full and happy, especially after seeing our paltry bill for our bounty of food. Checkers is open for just breakfast and lunch, which is unfortunate because their food is perfect for a post midnight feast.<br />
We will be back Checkers. Oh yes we will. <br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-90283023947290293302012-11-07T11:58:00.003-06:002012-11-07T11:59:14.242-06:00SmashburgerOn a recent trip to Schaumburg, we stumbled upon a wonderful discovery called Smashburger. I realize that Smashburger is old news to everyone every where else in the US, but not to people from small town Iowa. I had actually heard of the chain before, they boast hundreds of North American<a href="http://smashburger.com/locations/" target="_blank"> locations</a>.<br />
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Walking in, we were greeted by a friendly manager who asked if we had ever visited a Smashburger. We said No, so he explained <a href="http://smashburger.com/menu/tabor-center/" target="_blank">the menu</a> to us. The food is all made fresh and their specialty is the beef burgers they smash and sear on the grill. They have several options or you can pick and choose your toppings. First you choose the bready receptacle for your beef. They have my personal favorite, pretzel buns. Love them buns. Then, choose a cheesy cloak for your beef and amass an army of free toppings. You can also add several fancy schmancy garnishments for small fees, such as fried eggs, avocado, and garlic mushrooms.<br />
In addition to burgers, they also serve crispy or grilled chicken, black bean burgers, and hot dogs. Yay, choices! In my black book of restaurants, this positions them higher than Five Guys. Sides are offered a la carte and include veggie frites, sweet potato fries, and BEHOLD.. fried pickles. Be still my heart. <br />
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Richie was stoked to see Green River in bottles.<br />
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We ordered and paid at the front counter then found a booth to sit in. The manager even brought over a high chair for us, which I thought was nice because it's a fast food, serve yourself restaurant. Try getting that service at Burger King. About five minutes later he brought us our food.<br />
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When they say Smashburger, they mean Smashburger. Even my chicken was smushed flat. Smashchicken just doesn't have the same name appeal, but it looked and smelled amazing. Richie ordered the Barbecue Bacon Cheddar and added a fried egg for good measure and poor health. <br />
Red ordered the hot dog kids meal but it was a might big dog that I couldn't resist tasting.<br />
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The chicken came as requested with spinach, mustard, and pickles. Everything was fresh and the pickles were especially crunchy. The chicken was juicy and had a good char flavor. The bun was great and tasted like an big unsalted Super Pretzel.<br />
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Richie eloquently described the burger as very juicy and tasty. Cooked perfectly. The toppings were harmonious and abundent. Each bite was composed of all the flavors and textures of the sauce, bacon, egg, cheese, and onion straws. <br />
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We shared a side of fries which were concealed by chili, chopped onions, and melted cheese. The fries beneath remained crispy and never turned soggy from the chili. <br />
After our meal, I seriously considered opening a franchise in the QCA, but then I remembered that I have no money. The nearest location is Bloomington Illinois. So please, will someone bring Smashburger to the Quad-Cities? Pretty please? You won't be disappointed. Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-27538788063016651702012-09-24T17:23:00.001-05:002014-05-07T22:21:54.792-05:0011th Street Precinct<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Several persuasive friends finally convinced us to visit 11th Street Precinct in the Village of East Davenport. I'd sort of been avoiding it because I assumed it was just an average bar. I hate bars, they are loud, have the same foods, and terrible lighting. I hate people in bars, they are loud, smell like beer, and have terrible manners. We have eaten at bars and never bothered to review them because food always tastes a bit sour when 50 year old drunks are leering at your tattoos. <br />
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We stopped in pretty early on a weeknight, so it wasn't too crowded or loud. We found a table in the window and were promptly greeted. <a href="http://www.11thstreetprecinct.com/pageFood.html" target="_blank">The menu</a> was a bit more expansive than a typical bar with appetizers, salads, pizzas, and pastas. With a menu that big, I worried that they might not have a specialty, but they claimed to have award-winning tenderloins. When was this awards ceremony for tenderloins? I would have gone, dressed to the nines. I went ahead and ordered one because it would be unIowan to not. <br />
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Richie heard good things about their black angus burgers, so he ordered the bacon cheddar burger. I Googled black angus to figure out why they superior to normal beef, and it has to do with fat distribution throughout the cut of meat. So there you go. <br />
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As for an appetizer, we went with Chicago style fries topped with cheese and giardiniera. Apparently you can make anything Chicago style by throwing peppers and crap on it.<br />
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The food took a while to come out but maybe it just feels that way when you have a one year old mashing fruit loops all over the place.<br />
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The fries came out topped with lots of rubbery melted cheese, but no giardiniera. Our waitress brought some out for a side. <br />
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Maybe it was my extreme hunger that day, but that was the BEST pork sandwich I have ever had. It had great grilled flavor and was very tender. Not wanting to look like a porker myself, I saved half of it to eat later. The pasta salad looked suspiciously like the boxed brand, but actually tasted different and better.<br />
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Richie's burger was another story. He was quite disappointed. Thought it was a little overdone and the toppings were sparse and added no flavor. For the first time EVER he only ate half the burger. He did happily demolish the rest of it the next day though.<br />
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On the other hand, he really like the light and crispy onion rings. They have stripes, which completely baffles me as to why.<br />
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So if you happen to find yourself in the Village, you might want to stop by 11th Street and try the tenderloin. There are other cheaper, faster options such as the<a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/2009/06/village-corner-deli.html" target="_blank"> Deli</a> or Lagomarcino's, but this is the best evening/sit down option in that area. Then again, it will be crowded on the weekends and it will cost you a pretty penny, so drive down a ways and check out Front Street or<a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/search/label/Boozies" target="_blank"> Boozie's</a> for cheaper options and better burgers. <br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-83266431708715198542012-08-28T14:06:00.001-05:002012-09-24T17:43:46.529-05:00Jarling's Custard CupI have quite the sweet tooth but it was actually Richie who wanted to stop at<a href="http://www.jarlingscustardcup.com/" target="_blank"> Jarling's Custard Cup</a> after our dinner at <a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/2012/08/gross-burgers.html" target="_blank">Gross' Burgers</a>. Even though I had just eaten ice cream, the menu sucked me in and many flavors begged to be enjoyed. When you've been open for over 60 years, there's a lot of time to create new and delectable flavors and treats.<br />
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Custard Cup was first opened in 1949 by George and Helen Potter. George created the original custard recipe. They retired in 1969 and the Jarling family bought the business. The family still owns and operates it today.<br />
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We drove up around 8 pm and there was a short line of people waiting to order at the windows. It gave me ample time to check out their menu and make a knowledgeable decision. I take my frozen treats seriously. Vanilla, chocolate, lemon, orange, and strawberry custard are always available for your tasting pleasure. They also rotate in other flavors each week. If I recall, the weekly flavor was Butter Pecan. <br />
Shakes with mix-ins are called Snowstorms. Typical. The ice cream pies sounded awesome but I didn't want to display my gluttony in public. The full menu is online <a href="http://www.jarlingscustardcup.com/menu.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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So what did I choose? I finally settled on a dip of chocolate custard with marshmallow topping. Relatively tame, but I wanted to be sure I could taste and feel the custard. That sounds odd. Ever the sour one, Richie chose his typical lemon custard. <br />
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We sat at a picnic table on the side of the building and enjoyed our frozen delights. The custard was rich and smooth, very filling compared to the soft serve I had earlier. I only ate about half of my sundae before I threw in the towel. The chocolate tasted a bit artificial, or maybe it was the topping, but it wasn't my favorite chocolate dairy treat. If I go back, I'd like to try orange.<br />
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Richie claims Jarling's has the best lemon custard he has ever had. "Best lemon custard ever. I have yet to find an equal." That's the most glowing review he has ever given any sweet treat. He also ordered a green river and gave that a less than stellar review. "It was clearly made with off brand lime syrup, not official green river
flavoring. And it had that crappy slush ice that I hate because it
immediately waters stuff down." I think <a href="http://greasyjoints.blogspot.com/2009/08/lagomarcinos.html" target="_blank">Lagomarcino's</a> sets the bar pretty high, but I have to agree with his account. I took one sip and all I could taste was odd flavored water with a hint of lime. <br />
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Overall I would recommend Custard Cup. It seems to be popular with the locals which is always a good sign. It's definitely a smoother and more filling treat than a DQ creation, and if you're a fan of custard it's the obvious choice.<br />
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-39736841422435385622012-08-22T13:44:00.002-05:002012-08-22T14:36:08.944-05:00Gross' Burgers<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">On a trip
to Eastern Illinois, we got a tip to check out a burger joint called Gross’
Burgers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who can succeed for 30
years with that name must make a mean burger, so we drove to Danville to check
it out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">When I see a sign for “gross
burgers” I conjure up an image of Wendy’s Jr bacon cheeseburger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, these were nothing like that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">The place
is pretty small with several metallic chairs and tables crammed into the dining
area and a tall counter where customers place their orders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that
the owner was in the Marine Corps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Based
on the jungle décor, I’m guessing that he’s a Vietnam vet which automatically
makes him a total badass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Above the door
is a mural complete with the front half of a jeep, a machine gun, and empty
shells. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uniforms and American flags
adorn the opposite wall. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> After we
ordered and the infantry got to work, we found a place to sit and I took
in the surroundings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was inspired to
start a ‘Nobama’ chant but our burgers arrived and my mouth got too busy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">If you’re
like me and have a hard time making decisions, Gross burger is the perfect
place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is decided that you will have
a burger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want a side, it will be
fries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ice cream presented a problem
because I wanted a half and half twist cone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They do not have chocolate ice cream. So I chose to have blue goo
swirled in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ran out of the
goo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, I settled on a cone with
watermelon swirl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shakes are also
available in vanilla, chocolate, banana, strawberry, and cherry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The special is the All American (f*ck yea)
meal which, unsurprisingly, includes a massive amount of food for under 7
bucks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you guess what Richie
ordered?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">The meat
for the burgers is ground daily which immediately trumps any fast food burger
you’ll find.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Still waiting for a
restaurant that keeps their cows out back.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The patties are grilled and flattened to the size of a saucer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
ordered a simple hamburger with pickles, ketchup, and mustard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The burger spilled out the sides of the bun,
so Red and I started with the well done edges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After the long journey to the center of the burger, I was full, but the
burger was just getting to it’s juiciest. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Feast your
eyes on Richie’s triple cheeseburger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Though the crust of the burger looks well done, you can still see pink
in there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ooh Rah. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He went on the offense and gobbled that thing
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">The fries
are pretty standard looking but they are dressed in a light garlic salt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each table is locked and loaded with little
containers of garlic salt and cayenne pepper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Someone was also clumsy enough
to dump about a gallon of garlic salt on the floor by the trash cans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My shoes still smell delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ice cream was fun because of the red swirl
which really did taste like watermelon…well… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Laffy Taffy watermelon, because real watermelon
tastes like air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After dessert we evacuated by chopper and
Operation Frequent Binge was complete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Gross’
Burgers is just the place we love to visit and blog about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The setting is interesting and homey, the
service is fast, and the food is delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you’re in Danville for lunch, go get Grossed out.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-no-proof: yes;">Here’s a
great article from another Gross’ Burgers fan. <a href="http://saltofamerica.com/contents/displayArticle.aspx?7_102">http://saltofamerica.com/contents/displayArticle.aspx?7_102</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/171/977877/restaurant/Illinois/Grosss-Burgers-Danville"><img alt="Gross's Burgers on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/977877/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a> </span></div>
Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-83095686848940587962012-08-06T18:42:00.002-05:002012-09-06T15:41:20.811-05:00Crust Stone Oven Pizza and PubNot a fan of Quad-Cities style pizza, Richie was eager to try the new restaurant, Crust Stone Oven Pizza and their "European" style pizzas. Oh la la. On Bix Saturday, we pulled into the parking lot and weren't sure if they were open or not. As we walked in, we saw that it was only the 3rd Saturday they were open during lunch hours. Their normal business hours don't begin until 4 p.m. on all other days of the week.<br />
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We were offered either a table inside or on the patio, so we opted for the chilly air conditioned dining room. The interior is pretty swanky looking- black and white, dim lights, photography on the walls. Each wall was adorned with a couple of TVs turned to either ESPN, the Cubs game, or some snooze fest volleyball Olympic game. Sad choices, so I stared at the walls instead. And these randoms<br />
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The menu is small, but appealing. The appetizer and sandwich section offers fancified french fries and cheese curds, a chicken sandwich, a burger, and mac n cheese. The pizza offerings are your typical pepperoni, margherita, and sausage, plus a few interesting flavors- chorizo potato, three pigs, and chicken artichoke. View the menu <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=343667192376747&set=a.343413002402166.77651.343379835738816&type=1&relevant_count=1">here.</a><br />
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Being the good carnivore he is, Richie ordered the three pig pizza which is topped with pancetta, capacolla, and soppresatta a.k.a. a bunch of pork. Don't ask which meat is which. The pizza is baked in a stone oven with temps of up to 900 degrees. Need to get rid of a dead body? The pizzas cook in about 90 seconds. My mac n cheese held us up, but we still received our food very quickly, in about 10 minutes.<br />
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The macaroni had a nice crust on it, dotted with bacon. Mmm more pig. The inside was very hot and filled with melted gouda cheese, bacon, and peas. It was creamy, flavorful, and the peas made me feel like I made a healthy choice. (I didn't)<br />
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I shared my order with Scarlett, who also gave it a tiny thumbs up, though I think she prefers Easy Mac. <br />
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Richie devoured about half of his pizza. The crust is very thin and chewy, so it wasn't hard to do.<br />
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He actually thought it was a little underdone and could've used a few more seconds in the oven. He didn't eat the top crust, but I did, and I enjoyed the taste and texture had a bit of char flavor. He happily reported that the meats each had a bold, distinct flavor. However, they were a bit salty to his palate and decided he would try pepperoni next time. Nonetheless, he claimed that it was delicious and real pizza, "unlike that Quad-Cities style stuff." Whatever.<br />
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He also downed a mug of Steven's Point Root Beer. For 4 bucks you should get to keep the glass. He likened it to Barqs because it had a bitter bite to it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd8Bxdbaf1L9QueH8kV1mAKOQHONPJ9DtE1tkQ5f63b2Xqw78cz_-DxR5v3qIbvYarqP-bIgRrbRmjF0EV64dJ7HR-tWjNVWbyjE6mNPpZEfHPZRnVLqiGrPTrvpRY0oB3V1r8jILKRp2/s1600/richieroot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNd8Bxdbaf1L9QueH8kV1mAKOQHONPJ9DtE1tkQ5f63b2Xqw78cz_-DxR5v3qIbvYarqP-bIgRrbRmjF0EV64dJ7HR-tWjNVWbyjE6mNPpZEfHPZRnVLqiGrPTrvpRY0oB3V1r8jILKRp2/s320/richieroot.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We had no issues with our waitstaff, and I read about a <a href="http://qctimes.com/business/crust-pizza-gives-to-charity/article_786b7790-c32c-11e1-93cd-0019bb2963f4.html">cool thing they did</a>, but a friend of mine who went on the restaurant's second day said his waitress was very rude and ignored his table to talk with her friends. He also said that management dismissed his complaints. If you aren't given good service, be sure to complain. Maybe they will listen or maybe they will continue to be douchey.<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/122/1686577/restaurant/Davenport/Crust-Stone-Oven-Pizza-Bettendorf"><img alt="Crust Stone Oven Pizza on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1686577/minilink.gif" style="border: none; height: 36px; padding: 0px; width: 130px;" /></a> Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-10232485080544742902012-06-13T11:57:00.000-05:002012-08-06T18:47:06.240-05:00Zombie BurgerWith The Walking Dead and people eating each others' faces, zombies are all the rage. I've never been a fan, but when I heard about<a href="http://zombieburgerdm.com/" target="_blank"> Zombie Burger</a> in Des Moines, I immediately planned to stumble into Des Moines with a hungry belly and craving for burrrrrgerssss.<br />
After a long drive from the QC to Dead Moines, we arrived ready to eat around 3 p.m. the first thing to know is that Zombie Burger is not a theme restaurant. You are not greeted at the door by a "sexy zombie" in terrible stage make up. It is owned by chef George Formaro, who also owns some fancy pants restaurants in the DM area. We entered the sit down restaurant side, but dashing diners also have a to-go option at the counter.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWcGd4Iaz4t6zjh4w0pTmjWNA2QYlvMrNRUK_F0g8LcuR6BRCXVF4mqW8Ww5HPGkR6YWsMXiSANS1WiSlf-mC3V662IgL4wxOsphme_FRqk2NtWxu8awC_YWSrCFwwhhX4ZAqC9hge41k/s1600/outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguWcGd4Iaz4t6zjh4w0pTmjWNA2QYlvMrNRUK_F0g8LcuR6BRCXVF4mqW8Ww5HPGkR6YWsMXiSANS1WiSlf-mC3V662IgL4wxOsphme_FRqk2NtWxu8awC_YWSrCFwwhhX4ZAqC9hge41k/s320/outside.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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The interior of the restaurant, luckily, is not filled with bloody brains and loose limbs.
It feels a bit like a shiny steel fortress protecting it's diners from evils lurking about.
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We sat beneath a mural on the far wall.<br />
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The menus mimic a newspaper with news of zombie attacks and cheeky articles on the front, the good stuff on the back. Most of them reference zombie movies, but I'm not cool enough to know which ones. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikj0k332V-EOb8kcdaV9wY0hmSwr5Tb1CPFT1kQjeGkq12NQ5faHYk5dmlzIfcWmqaXFudyNv6uT-EOe7BKE-z6wqV2Yd3WYOcwLL91YbjSeEY1rQjvPz2AVD27CekljQSYcMiKtM5LJL/s1600/menu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjikj0k332V-EOb8kcdaV9wY0hmSwr5Tb1CPFT1kQjeGkq12NQ5faHYk5dmlzIfcWmqaXFudyNv6uT-EOe7BKE-z6wqV2Yd3WYOcwLL91YbjSeEY1rQjvPz2AVD27CekljQSYcMiKtM5LJL/s320/menu.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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All the burgers are available as either beef, chicken, veggie burger, or portobello mushroom. The toppings are what distinguish one terrifying treat from the next.<br />
I chose the Trailer Trash with grilled chicken. Richie chose the<br />
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and added a fried egg on top because he's worried about low cholesterol.<br />
The joint also has a drink lab with options for sober survivors. I chose the Tallahassee, a shake with cherry Kool aid powder and a Twinkie. Pretty sure 7 year old me had that idea but it didn't quite work out.
Richie chose the plain ol' cherry Kool-aid shake. <br />
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The shakes were thoroughly blended and had a light artificial cherry flavor, which is pretty much what one would expect from a Kool-aid shake. Tastes like summers in the 80s.
We started with some poutine fries which looked about as good as they sound. They tasted OK. Imagine eating french fries dipped in gravy and sprinkled with chunks of cheese. Yep. That's poutine for ya. Like a vulture I picked out the cheese and left the remains.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDverO2uREIOHNWzoCWrLAI3AJBDroqdjnAIE9ELffYrwNFCvcjI2Krj7puDs-gJojTPgXFV2gdyHJpydyiCC9yPMP1EswLVYONZOso53HMD5ebx8xr2HwEqKLXPOuvBjrmBHCSF0Z7R9/s1600/poutine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDverO2uREIOHNWzoCWrLAI3AJBDroqdjnAIE9ELffYrwNFCvcjI2Krj7puDs-gJojTPgXFV2gdyHJpydyiCC9yPMP1EswLVYONZOso53HMD5ebx8xr2HwEqKLXPOuvBjrmBHCSF0Z7R9/s320/poutine.jpg" width="240" /></a>
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About 5 minutes later, the burgers rose from the grave and we inspected all of their entrails. Mine included mostly fried versions of traditional trashy foods. Pickles, cheese, and bacon. Yes, chicken fried bacon. And you thought bacon could not be improved.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCoLhaT7jzqbqRXL8qmqVkCZmBmvM2zWegDw5rvhIwiTb6UtwWzDrtmC3SKG8Pbtw6S4_pUUbSBwT4tdfklWeZz7xHPVDffEqu163McdD7QSPC3OKupoF136dAdS-xfH875-sPyxueYVm/s1600/trash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCoLhaT7jzqbqRXL8qmqVkCZmBmvM2zWegDw5rvhIwiTb6UtwWzDrtmC3SKG8Pbtw6S4_pUUbSBwT4tdfklWeZz7xHPVDffEqu163McdD7QSPC3OKupoF136dAdS-xfH875-sPyxueYVm/s320/trash.jpg" width="240" /></a>
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Richie's massive double burger included American cheese, caramelized onions, bacon, and zombie sauce plus two smushed grilled cheese sandwiches to serve as a bun.
There was a lot of grunting and groaning while he was trying to finish this thing.....sort of like a ...zombie? <br />
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The food was amazing in the worst way possible. The odd combination of tastes and flavors seemed to work, mostly because everything on my sandwich was fried. It was a little dry because I nixed the ranch and the cheese curds kept popping out. I didn't master the smush-and-eat zombie technique.
Ran a 20k the following morning and the Trash sat in my stomach like a rock (brain?) during the whole race. I felt like walking..sort of like a... zombie? Hmmm.
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<br />Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6140141816848303073.post-87741901114611752472012-04-26T14:35:00.001-05:002012-08-06T18:46:39.462-05:00Bones BarbequeWe first discovered Bones BBQ at the Freight House Farmer's Market a few years ago. Like a ghost, they disappeared and left no trace of their smoky, delicious whereabouts. Fast foward to 2012, like a mirage in the distance, a tiny barbeque shack on the side of Brady Street appears. A real smoker sits behind, spouting smoke and sending the scent of cooked meat into passing cars. Lo and behold, Bones was back and better than ever.
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Ok, so a shack on the side of the road sounds a little sketchy, but sometimes those places have the best food. Sometimes they have the best food poisoning as well, so buyer beware. Bones is more of a cute lil cabin and did not give anyone food poisoning.<br />
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We haven't been able to determine open and closing hours yet, it's a bit of a crap shoot with a consolation of McDonald's.
Drive up and the simple menu is on a board.<br />
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Looking for a sandwich? You've got 3 basic options, pork, chicken, and beef. For an additional $2, make it a meal deal with 2 of their 4 sides, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad, or potato chips. Steak sandwiches are available on Fridays.<br />
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If you want your babybackbabybackbabyback... ribs are available full or half slab or in a dinner with 5 bones and 2 sides. A la carte sides are available in single servings, pints, and quarts.<br />
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The sauce is served on the side of the sandwiches. It's a sweet and spicy tomato based sauce. Best served haphazardly drizzled over the sandwich. The meat has always been the star, as it should be with barbeque.<br />
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The chicken is juicy, tender and has a light smoky flavor. I've yet to had subpar dry chicken from Bones, a common occurance at most other establishments.<br />
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The beans are a bit spicy and seem to be made with their signature barbeque sauce and lots of pepper. The buns were pretty standard, nothing to get in the way of the starring ingredients.<br />
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The Quad-Cities has a serious lack of decent barbeque places, but with Bones and Bare Bones in Illinois, things seem to be heating up. However, both places have limited hours and my taste for bbq has no limits.<br />
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They may have a had a bite or two.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01469762199417506966noreply@blogger.com2